It's not all doom and gloom! These celebrities had a great 2016

It's impossible to escape the endless stories about the depressing year that was 2016, with a large number of entertainment industry greats taken from us in the past 12 months.

But it hasn't all been doom and gloom: 2016 has offered up some pretty spectacular moments.

Many celebrity favourites have achieved some wonderful things, whether that be a top award in their field, high praise from their fans and peers or just a really good new release.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Jane Barlow/PA)

For others, personal lives flourished, with marriages, engagements and babies happening all over the place.

As we move into a brand new year, let's take a look back at the stars who have had a 2016 to really celebrate.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Leo finally won the Oscar that everyone knew he deserved. He took the best actor gong at the Academy Awards for his role in The Revenant after years of being nominated but never succeeding. His first Oscar nomination was for a supporting role in 1994 and he had been nominated for acting four more times since, including this year.

Hailed as one of the greatest actors of his generation, it was a happy moment when he finally took the golden statue home.

Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth

Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth have really got things back on track after rekindling their relationship at the beginning of the year.

The showbiz twosome were previously in a long-term romance and were even engaged, but they called things off a couple of years ago.

But now, the pair are as smitten with each other as they ever were and have spent much of the year together and sharing the odd moment on Instagram together. Ahh, love's young dream.

Kylie Minogue and Joshua Sasse (Ian West/PA)

Kylie Minogue and Joshua Sasse

Pint-sized pop princess Kylie celebrated her engagement to Joshua Sasse just months after confirming the two of them were an item.

They announced that they are engaged to be married in the most traditional of ways - with a notice in The Daily Telegraph newspaper. However, they have since said that they won't tie the knot until same-sex marriage becomes legal in Australia.

Dwayne Johnson

Dwayne - otherwise known as The Rock - became the world's highest-paid actor with annual earnings of $64.5 million (£48.8 million) thanks to upcoming films Fast 8 and Baywatch.

As well as the financial coup, the strapping wrestler-turned-actor was also named People magazine's sexiest man alive of the year.

Not too shabby at all.

Jennifer Lawrence (Matt Crossick/PA)

Jennifer Lawrence

Going on the monetary theme, Jennifer was named the highest-paid actress in the world by Forbes.

The Hunger Games actress topped the list for the second year in a row, with her earnings over the previous year coming in at $46 million (£39.4 million) before tax.

In her personal life, things appear to be going well as she has been reportedly loved-up with director Darren Aronofsky.

Skepta (Matt Crossick/PA)

Skepta

London-born artist Skepta did his bit for the British grime music scene as he was awarded the 25th Mercury Prize in September, fending off competition from the likes of the late David Bowie.

He won the £25,000 prize for his fourth studio album Konnichiwa, which reached number two in the charts earlier in the year.

Adele

To be fair, there is rarely a year that goes by in which singer-songwriter Adele does not succeed in one way or another.

This year, the superstar Brit travelled the globe on her sell-out world tour and she was also the hotly anticipated headline act at the Glastonbury Festival in June.

Her third album, 25, which was released in 2015, was also the biggest-selling album of 2016.

Kimberley Walsh

Former Girls Aloud star Kimberley Walsh has had a stunning year, bookended by two wonderful personal life achievements.

She kicked off the year by tying the knot with her long-term love Justin Scott in an idyllic wedding ceremony in Barbados, and she recently gave birth to the couple's second child together.

Jamie and Jools Oliver (John Stillwell/PA)

Jamie Oliver

Jamie and Jools expanded their beautiful family with another new addition, son River Rocket, who was born in August.

The little one has already made his TV debut, too, as he appeared alongside his siblings in dad's Christmas TV special, Jamie's Ultimate Christmas. And a star is born.

Geri Horner

The former Spice Girl is not only reuniting with two of her former colleagues - Emma Bunton and Mel B - for the band's 20th anniversary next year, but she's also got a mini (spiced) bun in the oven.

Geri and husband Christian, with whom she tied the knot in 2015, announced they are expecting their first child together in October and she's been showing off her growing bump on Instagram ever since.

Sarah Paulson

After being nominated for an Emmy for four years in a row, but never winning, Sarah finally triumphed.

The undeniably brilliant actress's star turn in The People v. O.J. Simpson as prosecutor Marcia Clark saw her win the outstanding lead actress gong in the miniseries/movie category, and it was an incredibly emotional moment as she took to the stage to retrieve her prize.

Craig David

Craig has become known as the ultimate comeback king of 2016. Years after he burst on to the British music scene with garage hits such as Fill Me In, 7 Days and Walking Away.

In September his comeback album Following My Intuition, his first original record since 2007, reached the top of the charts, his first number one album since his 2000 debut Born To Do It.

Craig was also chosen to release the official Children In Need charity single, All We Needed. Kudos, Craig, and welcome back.

Renee Zellweger

Renee returned to the big screen as everybody's favourite single girl Bridget Jones in the third film in the franchise, Bridget Jones's Baby.

The film was well-received and a critical success and secured her place, once again, as one of Hollywood's most lovable stars.

Ed Balls

2016 was the year that Ed went from politician to bona fide celebrity gold thanks to his jaw-dropping star turn in Strictly Come Dancing.

The former shadow chancellor may not have won the series, but he was definitely the most entertaining. His Gangnam Style with partner Katya Jones will go down in the show's history as probably the best moment ever.

Ore Oduba and Joanne Clifton (Guy Levy/BBC/PA)

Ore Oduba

The BBC sports presenter had a fantastic end to his year as he was crowned the champion of Strictly, despite not being the odds-on favourite.

He and his dance partner Joanne Clifton were utterly and adorably stunned when they were awarded the glitterball trophy after a season of spectacular spins, lifts and tight trousers on the ballroom's dancefloor.

Ore is now on a well-earned break overseas with his wife Portia, so it all worked out pretty well for him in the end.

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